The upcoming delegates’ conference actually should be the focus for all and sundry as the clock ticks towards that momentous and epoch-making occasion, where and when the draft constitution of the party will be discussed, ratified, approved and adopted.

Adopting such a very important document by the APC would usher in a new lease of life to the party and presumably bring to rest all the troubles and hullabaloo in the party with respect to putting things right and in conforming to the democratic values of the times.

Since the party lost the 2018 national and presidential elections and ceded power to the now incumbent SLPP-led government, the call for some drastic and meaningful changes in the party has been the order of the day, particularly relating to changing the clause in its 1995 constitution that made provision for selection of members to key official positions in the party among other decision-making processes.

It must be said that the APC secretariat has been highly responsive to the call for change in the party and has continued to remain diligent enough to acquiesce to the demands of some members of the party for reform even if such demands have to come from outside forces or the courts, as it is with the court ruling and decision that ordered the party to hold an urgent delegates conference in September this year in which some key and senior executive members of the APC – like the Chairman and National Party leader Dr Ernest Bai Koroma and the National Secretary General of the party Ambassador Dr Osman Foday Yansaneh – have been asked to step aside or disenfranchised in the process.

Hats are doffed to the APC secretariat for the noble and bold moves the party has continued to take to put things aright, even in the midst of turbulence, rancour and disparate views and machinations militating against the successful progression and smooth sail of the party towards the 2023 general and presidential elections.

The APC has just concluded their election of delegates precedent to the holding of the party’s Emergency National Delegates Conference to approve and adopt its draft constitution in order to avoid violating the orders of the High Court of Sierra Leone.

The elected delegates, who will be eligible to take part in the decision-making process of approving the draft constitution on 17,18 and 19 September this year, have come from the APC’s National Youth Wing, the Women’s Wing and the party’s constituencies across the country. A total of 700 executive members from among its constituents across the country would be set to adopt the draft constitution that would change the composition and modus operandi of the party.

For obvious reasons, also, some big guns and flagbearer aspirants have had to shelve their differences and close ranks to ensure sanity and unity prevail in the party for their own good and that of the party and its supporters.

For all these serene and sage moves, the party deserves profound commendation and applause as it has demonstrated the sound quality of leadership, control and crisis management as well as respect for the law and democratic values.

However, as all are looking forward to a landmark delegates’ conference in less than ten days’ time, smacks of negative tendencies and disunity have started rearing their ugly heads, especially on account of arguments about who should and shouldn’t be the APC standard bearer for the general and presidential elections in 2023.

Recent remarks, especially in the social media, surrounding Chief Alhaji Sam Sumana and somehow Dr Samura Kamara have not been palatable at all. All sorts of harsh remarks keep coming up about what wrong deeds have been done or not done by Samura Kamara or Sam Sumana, or Richard Konteh or Alimamy Petito Koroma, you name them. The time will be up for politicking (albeit decently) around these leaders in the APC party. For now, the focus is and should be on the impending National Delegates Conference slated for 17, 18 and 19 September – less than ten days from today – when the party’s draft constitution will be discussed, approved and adopted by those members who have been delegated with the responsibility to do so by the party’s supporters across the country.

As we conclude this cautionary note, we would like to reiterate the comment made in one of the editions of this paper that party members, especially those vying for the flagbearer position of the party, should bear in mind that it is only one person among the lot that would emerge as flagbearer for the party at the end of the day. Whether they like it or not, whoever the Lord has destined to lead would lead. All of them should regard themselves as great men and women since greatness comes in various ways, some of which are outlined by the great philosopher and dramatist, William Shakespeare, who says: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness trusted upon them.”

To supporting camps of the various flagbearer aspirants, we also would like to remind them of the principle advanced by the management philosopher Fayol on maintaining esprit de corps in the process of managing the activities of their candidates vis-à-vis the affairs of their larger political party.

Hence the party members should see themselves as one and work as one. They should be greatly mindful of the level of character assassination they mete out to their own leaders.

Meanwhile, all said and done, Forum  newspaper would like to advise the APC party to continue to comply with the dictates of the times by agreeing to go purely the democratic way in developing a constitution that would resonate more with democratic tenets, particularly in electing members into official positions of the party, as well as to be law-abiding in respect of sage court rulings to ensure fair play within the party.